Bonding Time
by Ilovepi
Summary: Rivendell, and the Fellowship is formed but waiting for Frodo to truly heal before setting off. But they are not truly a Fellowship yet--they are still quite separate. But Elrond has an idea...
1. Truth or Dare

_**It's not mine, and never was. Enjoy!**_

The six dice clattered onto the stones across the courtyard and the two hobbits bent to look at them. Strange, how these Halflings could sit laughing and play a meaningless game without worry when they would be leaving safety and wandering in danger for who knows how long.

Boromir of Gondor sat watching the two play. Lord Elrond had decided that the Fellowship needed "bonding time" before setting off on the quest. None of his companions seemed to really take it seriously, instead talking to the people they already knew. Unfortunately, Boromir knew none of his companions.

The two young hobbits, what were there names again? Merry and Piper? They were playing some game Boromir had never seen before. Probably the rest of the world had never seen it before either.

"No, you only get eight!" protested the younger one.

"What are you talking about?" Merry replied. "It's twelve, you know."

"But it's a black four."

"But it's a red three."

"Ten?"

"Okay, ten."

Boromir shrugged. He doubted he'd ever understand the game.

Already there were groups in the Fellowship and they hadn't even started yet. The other Man and the Elf were conferring quietly. Merry and Piper were playing. Sam and the Dwarf (Gimli, was it?) watched them, grinning.

Gandalf the Grey sat frowning. Boromir got the impression that the Maia's thoughts were elsewhere.

Boromir glanced around. Frodo was nowhere to be seen. His thoughts were interrupted by a gasp from the Elf, who suddenly didn't look as dignified as one expected Elves to be.

"You wouldn't!"

Aragorn grinned. That was another mystery. Who was this Aragorn son of Arathorn anyway? Was he really the Heir of Isildur? And if he was... would Boromir be able to accept being second best?

He was pulled away from his troubling thoughts when Legolas launched himself at the no longer grinning Ranger.

Sam gasped. Piper stared. Gimli chuckled. And Merry rolled his eyes because they interrupted the game.

Soon, however, even Merry was watching in amazement. Boromir had never seen such a wrestling match. Over and over the two rolled, almost faster than he could see.

"Come on, Strider!" Merry called, caught up in the contest.

"It's no use," Sam told him. "Mr. Legolas will win. He's an Elf."

"I don't know about that, lad. Elves aren't as perfect as you think," Gimli said, intent on the battle.

Suddenly there was a flash of steel and Legolas was on top, holding one of his long Elvish knives to Aragorn's throat. The Halflings froze.

"Told you so..." said Sam quietly.

"Not so fast," Aragorn called. Before Boromir could quite see what happened, Legolas had dropped the knife and was...giggling.

"No...fair," Legolas gasped between chuckles. "Tickling's...cheating."

"You started it," Aragorn accused. The Ranger was now on top, mercilessly tickling the giggling elf.

"If you tell them, I personally will see that the twins know about a certain she-elf..." Legolas said quietly.

"You wouldn't!"

The Elf just grinned.

"Okay," Aragorn agreed quickly. "I don't tell the Fellowship, you don't tell the twins."

"Done."

"Really, you two." Apparently Gandalf hadn't been as far away as Boromir supposed.

"Why, Mithrander, you ought to be proud of us," Legolas said in the most innocent tone. "We settled it ourselves, didn't we? You didn't even have to dump water on us this time."

"_This_ time," Gandalf said sternly.

A second later all three were laughing.

* * *

The Big Folk were strange, Pippin thought. One moment they seemed like worst enemies, the next, the best of friends. Then something occurred to him. He played the scene back over in his head.

"_I don't tell the Fellowship, you don't tell..."_

Tell us what? Pippin wondered. "What won't you tell us, Strider?"

Legolas put a warning hand on the Ranger's arm.

"Well, I can't tell you, can I?" Strider replied.

"I won't tell Legolas," Pippin promised quickly.

Strider and Legolas looked at each other. Legolas raised one eyebrow.

"What is it, Gandalf?" Pippin asked eagerly.

"Well..."

"Mithrander!" Legolas protested.

"I'm afraid you'll have to get it from Legolas, Pippin."

"Please, Mister Legolas?" Pippin asked with his trademark puppy dog eyes.

Legolas smiled and shook his head emphatically.

Big Folk were strange, indeed.

* * *

Gimli simmered inside. He had to spend who knows how long with that dratted Elf! He almost regretted offering Frodo his axe, except that it was better to put up with the Elf than let the Dwarves go unrepresented in this important mission.

The Ranger he could get along with, even if he stank of elves. The Halflings, or Hobbits, were quite fun to hang out with, but he knew better than to join their games. No, it was Boromir Gimli expected to be closest to. The Man of Gondor seemed a lot like the Dwarf: Stubborn, brave and loyal to his people.

Even if the Hobbits didn't know the danger and Aragorn, Gandalf and the Elf were too brave or stupid to worry, Gimli was. This was a fool's errand, trusting a Hobbit with the most dangerous object in Middle Earth.

As if his thought had summoned the Ringbearer, Frodo entered the small courtyard.

"Mr. Frodo!" Sam leapt up. "Where were you?"

"Just visiting with old Bilbo," Frodo replied. He looked strangely unnerved, fidgeting with something around his neck. The Ring, Gimli realized.

Hmmf. Who knew? The Hobbit was strong. Maybe there was hope after all.

Legolas really, really hoped that Aragorn wouldn't blurt out his secret. It wasn't really the Halflings he was worried about, although it would be awkward if they knew.

It was the Dwarf he was worried about.

Obviously, the Dwarf already didn't like him. That was okay. Legolas didn't care for Dwarves. But he really, really did _not_ want to see Gimli son of Gloin's reaction when he realized that it had been Legolas' father who imprisoned Gloin those many years ago.

Legolas remembered it, of course. How could he not? He had been at the feast the Dwarves had so rudely interrupted, but even he, who did _not_ like Dwarves, thought Thranduil had acted unreasonably. After all, they had not meant any harm. At least, no harm to the Elves.

But Legolas would rather face a hundred orcs with a hairbrush than admit that to Gimli.

Anyway, having Estel on the journey would probably cancel out the grief the dwarf would give him.

"No!"

The Halfling's shout jerked Legolas onto his feet, dagger in hand. Estel, next to him, had his sword unsheathed.

"What's wrong, Merry?" the Ranger said tightly.

"It adds up to thirty…" Merry said mournfully.

Pippin looked closer at the six dice. "It does?" he said excitedly. "It does!" He stood up and did a little jig.

Aragorn glanced at Legolas and shrugged. Sheathing their weapons, the two sat down.

The Elf tried not to look at Gimli, who was chuckling at the Elf's panic.

It was going to be a long trip.

* * *

Frodo shook his head in amusement, looking at his two cousins' dice game. Once, a few years ago, they had attempted to teach it to Frodo, resulting in a severe headache and no more understanding than before.

Pippin was doing some sort of 'I did it' dance, while Merry sat dejectedly on the cobblestone.

One thing, Frodo thought, this trip was _not_ going to be, with those two along, was boring.

He reached for the Ring again. Often he found himself playing with it, without even realizing he was doing so.

He grasped it tightly, remembering the scene only a few minutes before. His closest relative and the closest thing he had to a father had seemed terrible, like an orc almost, when he had seen the Ring.

Frodo hoped that wouldn't happen to him.

But he was terribly scared that it would…

A new figure entered the circle. Frodo straightened up. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his companions do the same.

"Still separated, I see." Elrond's voice was disapproving. "You will need to work as one strong unit for this quest. If you still remain divided, the quest will fail."

There was silence in the courtyard. Frodo reached for the Ring.

"How about some icebreakers?" Elrond said smoothly.

Frodo had never heard of icebreakers. Legolas and Aragorn, however, paled instantly. Gandalf, on the other hand, chuckled.

"How about Truth or Dare?" the wizard suggested.

Aragorn visibly shuddered.

"Sounds good to me," Elrond said, seating himself gracefully on an empty stone bench. "Each person gets asked by the person before him. Shall I start?" Aragorn, who was sitting closest to Elrond, tried to edge away. "Not so fast, Estel. Truth or dare?"

* * *

He really had to do this to me, didn't he? The last time we had played this game ended with Elladan the color of a tomato from blushing so much, Elrohir's hair purple, and Legolas and I…maybe I won't go into that? Just trust me, it was bad.

I have never loved the clear sound of a hobbit's voice as much as when Merry said, "Excuse me, Lord Elrond, but I don't know how to play."

Elrond quickly explained the rules. Too quickly… "Now let's have an example. Truth or dare, Estel?"

If I chose truth, he would probably ask me about the last time we had played, just to embarrass me.

"Dare_," _Legolas whispered from next to me. He probably also didn't want the story to come out.

On the other hand, if I chose dare, who knew what Elrond would come up with? Probably he was too dignified to reuse last games' one, but he had a pretty devious mind…who knew what I could end up doing?

"_Dare_!" Legolas whispered again. He didn't care what I had to do, as long as the story didn't come out.

"Estel?"

"Dare," I said.

"I dare you to recite Bilbo's poem about you while hanging from a tree by your ankles."

Ouch. The sad part was that, of course, I knew the poem by heart and Elrond knew it.

I swung myself onto the nearest tree.

* * *

This was a sight to see. The Heir of Isildur, future (hopefully) king of Gondor, hanging upside-down from a tree, reciting a poem of his own praises.

Frodo, Gandalf thought, was the only of the hobbits who understood the rhyme, or at least guessed at its meaning. Boromir, on the other hand, listened carefully and sighed.

It was highly amusing.

"And crownless again shall be king," Aragorn finished grimly, swinging down and turning to Legolas, who closed his eyes in despair.

"Truth or dare?"

Legolas paused. Gandalf could practically hear the gears turning in his head. "Truth," he said finally.

Now it was Aragorn's turn to sit and think.

"What are you waiting for?" Peregrin asked.

"I want to ask something suitably embarrassing," the Ranger replied.

"So ask him what the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to him was," Gandalf suggested, hiding a smirk.

Legolas gave the wizard a very dirty look.

"I would," Aragorn replied, causing Legolas to look at him in fear, "But I'm afraid his answer will involve me."

Aragorn thought for a bit longer. "I've got it!" he said finally, turning to the Elf with a grin. Legolas edged back a bit. "What is your biggest fear?"

Legolas _growled._ "I am going to get you for that one, Estel."

"Just answer the question."

Legolas sighed. "Caves," he said reluctantly.

Gimli snorted. Legolas gave him that patent 'shut up or die' look that he had given Gandalf only a moment ago.

"When I was an elfling, I went exploring in the forest with my friends and we found a cave. I went in and there was a cave-in. I was trapped for almost three days." Legolas leveled a stare at the no longer chuckling Dwarf. Then he turned to his right.

"Truth or dare, Mithrandir?"

* * *

Merry had to admit that although this game wasn't quite as fun as Six Silly Dice, it was quite amusing.

He had never thought he would see Gandalf the Grey looking pale because of a _game._ Just that was funny.

"Truth," the wizard replied.

The elf grinned wickedly. "What is the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to _you_, Mithrander?" he asked, quoting the question Gandalf had suggested to Aragorn only a few minutes ago.

The wizard paled.

"I guess the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to me was when I was putting on a huge fireworks show, and I really worked up to the ending, which was supposed to have this big firework go up and it didn't."

The hobbits laughed, glancing at Merry and Pippin. All four were remembering Bilbo's birthday party.  
"Lying is strictly against the rules, Mithrander," Elrond said severely.

Merry's eyes widened. Legolas and Strider's faces broke into identical grins…unless they were smirks. Pippin, Sam and Frodo all stared at the Maia in shock, and Gimli raised his eyebrows.

Gandalf was suddenly very interested in his shoes.

"What shall his penalty be, lads?" Elrond asked.

"He has to jump in the pond," Strider and Legolas said at once. "That's what we had to do," Legolas added with a shrug as the two of them stood to escort Gandalf to the pond.

Five minutes later, a dripping wizard returned, complete with a couple weeds in his beard. Attempting to summon up the shreds of his dignity, Gandalf turned to Merry.

"Hold on just a second, Mithrander," Legolas said.

The wizard turned to the elf with a look of extreme suffering.

"You haven't answered the question," the elf said mildly.

If he had looked like he was suffering before, now he looked tortured.

"Go on," Pippin urged.

Gandalf sighed. Finally, he said, "Once, I was forced to go through an orc camp. Naturally, I needed a disguise so I st—borrowed an orc's discarded clothes. When I arrived in Rivendell, the elves were ready to shoot me. Luckily, Aragorn, who was at that time only a toddler, saw through my disguise and ran to say hello. Thus, all of Rivendell saw me in orcish wear."

Legolas and Aragorn chuckled, but other than that the story didn't seem _that_ funny.

Elrond said, "Finish the story, Mithrander."

Once more, Gandalf sighed. "What I had not realized," he continued, "was that the orc whose clothes I appropriated had lice."

At first the Fellowship stared in confusion at the wizard, but soon understanding dawned and they all laughed heartily.

"Go on," Elrond urged.

Gandalf gave Elrond a dirty look. "Lice," he elaborated," are impossible to get out of a beard like this. Thus, I was forced to shave."

The group stared blankly at the Maia for a minute, each attempting to imagine him beardless. One by one, they began chuckling. The chuckles soon became whole-hearted laughter and it was several minutes before everyone was settled again.

* * *

Gandalf turned to Merry.

"Truth or dare?"

"Dare," Merry said at once. Sam was not surprised. Dares were much more interesting, especially to a wild hobbit like Merry.

"Hmm…I dare you to sing a song with at least three verses about how wonderful I am, complete with a dance that includes a handstand, a cartwheel and…. "

"A Merriadoc Special," Pippen supplied excitedly.

"And a Meriadoc Special," Gandalf added.

This was a hard one. Luckily, Merry liked singing.

I'm sure glad that's not me, Sam thought, watching Merry think.

The other hobbit stood on the bench and began singing.

"_Red and yellow,_

_Purple and green,_

_The best fireworks e'er seen,_

_Thanks to old Gandaaaaalf."_

The young hobbit's dance was funny on it's own, even without the words. It seemed to be a mixture of a jig and an exhibition of gymnastic talent.

"_Bilbo went to a dragon's cave,_

_Came home with treasure and gold,_

_Telling the best tales e'er told,_

_Thanks to old Gandaaaalf."_

This verse was particularly amusing to Gimli, who chuckled loudly. Aragorn, too, was grinning widely and Legolas was clearly trying not to smile. Merry paused to think and continued.

"_His hair is white,_

_His color is grey,_

_He always has something to say,_

_That's old Gandaaaaalf."_

As the song drew to a close, he launched himself off the bench and turned a triple flip, landing on one knee in front of Gandalf.

Everyone applauded. "That," Merry said, getting up and dusting off his trousers, "was a Meriadoc Super Special."

The next few turns, Sam thought, went quite fast. Merry dared Pippin to agree with everything he said for the next three days, Pippin asked Boromir what his favorite lullaby was, (_Hush Little Baby_ and as he had not been dared he refused to sing it.) Boromir dared Gimli climb a tree, resulting in a highly amused Legolas. Gimli asked Frodo if there were any special someone's in his life (there weren't) and all too soon for his liking, it was Sam's turn.

* * *

"Truth or dare, Samwise Gamgee?" Frodo asked, turning to his old friend with a small smile.

"Truth."

Frodo grinned. "What's _really _going on with you and Rosie Cotton?"

The rest of the Fellowship said more "oooh" more or less in unison. Sam grimaced. "Um…uh…"

"Pray tell," Legolas asked interestedly. It seemed like this young Halfling had more of a love life than he did.

"I love her," Sam blurted, before turning beat red and staring at his toes.

"I know that, but what about her?" Frodo asked relentlessly.

"And…" Sam continued, staring at his toes, "I think she loves me too."

"Awwww," everyone said.

"Wonderful," said Elrond. "Now hopefully some of the ice has been broken, and you can continue on this journey together as one unit."

"Hold on just a second, Master Elrond," Gandalf interrupted. "You haven't gone yet."

Elrond glanced around. "As I am not part of this Fellowship, my going is—"

"You asked me, therefore you counted yourself as part of the game," Aragorn interjected.

"Yeah!" Merry said.

"Yeah," Pippin agreed. Naturally, Pippin would have agreed even if he had not been dared to, but the dare took the fun out of it.

A clamor ensued, and finally Elrond said "Very well, I'll play."

"Truth or dare?" Sam asked.

"Truth," Elrond said serenely.

Sam bit his lip. He did not want to ask anything too embarrassing of the dignified elf who he was still somewhat in awe of.

"What's the funniest thing you've ever seen?" he asked finally.

Aragorn shut his eyes.

Legolas stared straight ahead.

Elrond looked at both of them. "The last time I played this game, my sons Elladan and Elrohir came up with a most unusual dare…"

"Please, no." It was a prayer, and Aragorn echoed Legolas' plea.

"_Please_, no!" Aragorn begged.

"Now I'm interested," Boromir grinned, leaning in.

Aragorn afforded him a dirty glance before going back to gazing pleadingly at his foster father.

"They dared Aragorn and Legolas to kiss."


	2. Sock Wrestling

_Although this was originally intended to be a one-shot, several people asked me to continue it, so I shall. Send in your favorite ice breakers and maybe I'll write a chapter!_

In spite of the ridiculousness of the game, Truth or Dare had indeed succeeded in breaking some of the ice between the members of the Fellowship. At least, it succeeded in building a bond between the hobbits, dwarf, and man of Gondor in laughter at Legolas and Aragorn, who did not appreciate this "step forward."

Due to Elrond's instructions, the group found itself once again in the same clearing the next day. They sat around, chatting for a bit, when with a suddenness that startled everyone except for Aragorn and Legolas, who were used to it, Elrond's twin sons, Elladan and Elrohir, leapt from the trees into the clearing.

"What the—"Gimli began.

"Forgive us for startling you," Elladan said, bowing to hide his unapologetic grin.

"We merely came to continue Ada's ice breakers," Elrohir said innocently. [A/N: Ada = Elvish for Father]

This time, Aragorn and Legolas were not the only ones who groaned.

"Haven't we already done that?" Merry asked, shooting a glance towards Pippin, who half-heartedly agreed. Pippin was growing very tired of yesterday's dare.

"Not _this _game," Elladan corrected.

"Truth or dare is lame," Elrohir agreed.

"Except when the dares are really, really funny," they said together. Everyone looked at the blushing pair and laughed. Aragorn was less than amused. Legolas was annoyed.

"But this game is much better," Elladan said.

"Much more interesting," his twin added.

"We get to get down and dirty!" Elladan enthused.

The group exchanged uneasy glances. "What _is _this game, pray tell?" Boromir asked.

"Sock wrestling!" the twins said together excitedly.

Aragorn groaned loudly. Legolas brightened. The hobbits looked utterly bewildered, Boromir and Gimli mildly confused, and Gandalf resigned.

"Um…what's that?" Pippin asked.

"It's quite simple," Elladan said.

"The goal of the game is to take the other person's socks off," Elrohir explained.

"Two people get on their knees in socks," Elladan elaborated. "The goal is to get the other person's sock off. Any questions?"

The hobbits all looked at each other and silently elected Merry to speak. "Hobbits don't _wear _socks," he proclaimed. The others, even Pippin, nodded emphatically.

"It's okay, we have extra," Elladan assured him, holding up a bag of clean, cotton socks.

"You don't understand," Merry said. "Hobbits _don't_ wear socks."

Everyone looked at the hobbits' bare, hairy feet.

"Put them on for the sake of the game," Elrohir pleaded.

Sam looked shocked, the others simply disbelieving. "We just don't," Pippin said again.

Elladan and Elrohir looked at each other and shrugged. "Your loss," Elladan said. "You just won't play, then."

"Any volunteers for first?" Elrohir asked.

Absolute silence greeted this statement. Pippin quickly put one finger on his nose, followed by Merry, Sam and Frodo in quick succession. Gandalf, sitting across from the hobbits, caught on too and copied the gesture. Aragorn, on his left, followed the trend, and Legolas came soon after.

"Boromir! Gimli! You lose!" Pippin exclaimed.

The man and dwarf stared blankly at the small hobbit. "We played noses," Pippin said.

This did not enlighten the losers in the slightest.

"You know," Sam added, "everyone puts their finger on their nose and the last person to notice has to do whatever it is."

"Exactly," Frodo said, smiling.

"Soldiers of Gondor," Boromir said with as much dignity as possible, "do not get on their knees in the dusty ground for a _game_."

"Neither do dwarves!" Gimli put in.

"Why not?" Legolas asked, hiding a smile. "It's not like the ground is that far away, even when you're standing."

Gimli awarded the elf a dirty look, before turning back to argue some more. The pair's arguments were utterly useless however, and they soon found themselves forced to the center.

"You can push us here, but you can't force us to play!" Gimli declared.

"Just as well," Legolas said with a wink to Aragorn.

"What do you mean?" the dwarf demanded.

"Oh, just that it's as well for you that you don't play, since it's clear that Boromir will win," Legolas said coolly.

"He will _not_!" Gimli insisted.

"In any case, I refuse to play," Boromir repeated.

"Are you afraid Gimli will beat you?" Aragorn asked, hiding a smile.

"Certainly _not_!" Boromir exclaimed.

"So play," Frodo said simply. "Prove it."

Boromir looked at him helplessly, trying to figure out a way of backing out to the game without sounding like a coward. He couldn't, so he agreed to play, hoping that Gimli would have better luck backing out than he himself had had.

Naturally, Gimli fared no better.

"I still will not submit myself to the indignity of this game," Gimli announced.

"It's just as I said," Legolas told Aragorn. "The dwarf knows he has no chance against a man of superior strength and skill, not to mention courage."

That was all it took to get Gimli to play.

Two minutes later, the two combatants were kneeling on the ground, facing each other, each wearing a pair of socks from Elladan's bag. The odor of their feet was subject to much comment, none of it complimentary. Finally, the game was ready to begin.

"Once again, the rules are very simple. Players must remain on their knees at all times, or at least they are never allowed to stand or put any weight on their socks. The goal is to pull both of the other person's socks off. No hurting the other person. Understood?" Elrohir said excitedly.

Both nodded, facing each other grimly as though this were an actual battle and not an amusing game. All the spectators, on the other hand, were highly amused.

"Three. Two. One. GO!"

Immediately, the two were at each other. Boromir elected to go for the crawling approach and scampered towards Gimli's feet. The dwarf, on the other hand, simply turned round and round avoiding Boromir's grasping hands.

"Go Gimli! Boo Boromir!!" Merry cheered, echoed reluctantly by Pippin, who really was heartily tired of always agreeing with his cousin.

"What did I do?" Boromir called, diving for Gimli's foot just as it was jerked away.

"Two reasons," Merry called back.

"Oh?" Boromir panted, rolling away as Gimli reached for his sock.

"Yeah," Merry elaborated. "First, it's great alliteration."

"Good word," Gandalf noted, his eyes never leaving the game.

"Thank you."

"And the other reason?" Boromir asked, his own eyes leaving Gimli to glance at the hobbit.

"Easy," Merry replied, smirking as he watched Gimli reach quietly for the distracted man's sock.

"Yeah?" Boromir asked, pulling away.

"Short people work together," Merry said with a grin. Gimli had succeeded in getting a good hold on Boromir's sock, so when the man pulled away, the sock slipped right off. Everyone cheered.

"One sock down, one to go," Gimli grinned, giving Merry a thumbs up. This time, Boromir's dive succeeded in removing a sock. Everyone cheered again.

"One down, one to go," Boromir echoed, grinning back.

Gimli feinted towards the left. Boromir immediately moved right, just as Gimli reached right for his sock, grasping it tightly.

"I win," Gimli announced, beginning to pull.

"Not so fast," Boromir gasped, and twisted himself around several times out of Gimli's grasp.

"Wow!" Sam exclaimed.

Gandalf shook his head in amusement. Legolas, Aragorn, Elladan, Elrohir, and Pippin all cracked up at the look of shock on Gimli's face, while Merry said nothing, trying to come up with a positive adjective beginning with a B. His face brightened.

"Brilliant, Boromir!" Merry called. "_Bloody_ brilliant," he added a moment later.

Without taking his eyes off Gimli, Boromir saluted in the general direction of the hobbits.

By now, though, Boromir's remaining sock was half off (he wasn't allowed to pull it back up) and Gimli was slowing down. The sight of the two hopping around on their knees was terribly funny.

Suddenly, without anyone quite seeing how it happened, Boromir sat up with Gimli's second sock in his hand. "I win," he announced.

Everyone stared for a second, then cheered. Gimli shook his head in defeat, but offered his hand to Boromir like the good sport he was.

"Good game," Boromir said.

"Indeed," Gimli agreed, and the two left the circle better friends than when they had entered it.

"Who's next?" Elladan asked.

"I'll go," Merry volunteered excitedly.

"What happened to not wearing socks?" Gandalf asked, amused.

Merry shrugged, glancing at his fellow hobbits, who also looked quite shocked.

"Very well, who wants to oppose him?" Elrohir asked.

"I will," Aragorn said quickly, muttering to Legolas, "at least this one I should be able to beat."

"Don't be so cocky," Legolas teased. "Or should I say…socky?"

"Ugh," Aragorn moaned. "Your puns are terrible."

A simultaneous moan of disgust came from the remaining hobbits as Merry pulled on socks over the hairy feet that are the pride of _most_ self-respecting hobbits. Meriadoc Brandybuck had a great deal of self-respect, but more of it was for his tumbling skills than his feet.

"Contestants, enter the ring." Elladan said solemnly, adding in a whisper, "Valar, do I love being Master of Ceremonies."

"That's because you're master of so little else," Elrohir grinned back.

"Ahem." Elladan continued, pointedly ignoring his twin. "All rules are identical to the ones stated previously. Are there any questions?"

Merry asked, "I know we're not allowed to stand, but are we allowed to do anything other than be on our knees?"

"What did you have in mind?"

"Oh, flips, jumps, summersaults, the works…"

Aragorn winced, meeting Legolas' eyes as the elf mouthed, "_I told you so."_

Almost before Elladan had finished saying, "Game commences _now_" Aragorn's hand darted out and pulled one of Merry's socks off. After that, though, Merry was not still enough for Aragorn to get a firm enough grip on his sock again. With skill born of years of fighting, Aragorn could capably block most of Merry's attempts, but not being on his feet severely crippled his speed. Merry leaped and flipped, getting behind Aragorn faster than the Ranger could turn around. But Aragorn could still avoid the hobbit's grasps, rolling to the side and reaching for a foot.

This pattern repeated over and over, with slight variation. Once, the hobbit succeeded in grabbing a sock, to loud cheers from all, especially Legolas.

"One to one!" Elladan cheered. "Two silver pennies on Merry, anyone?"

"I'll take it," Frodo said, not forgetting the skill with which the Ranger had driven back the Ringwraiths on Weathertop.

"Traitor," Merry called, glancing at his cousin. As in the previous game, this momentary distraction allowed his opponent to reach for his sock.

"Looks like you won your bet," Aragorn called, pulling. He hardly noticed a similar tugging at his own foot. Both contestants sat up with their opponent's sock in hand, and the game ended in confusion.

"Pay up," Frodo called to Elladan.

"What are you talking about?! Merry won!" the elf exclaimed.

"Not true, Aragorn had the sock first!" Frodo asserted, immediately backed up by Sam.

_"I_ won," Merry hollered, hurt by his relatives' betrayal and looking to Pippin for support. Pippin wavered—he _did_ support Merry, he always did, but now, when he was forced to…

"Yeah, Merry won," Pippin said.

"So he did," Elladan agreed.

"You only think that because you have money on it," Aragorn accused.

"So what if I do? I'm the MC, I decide!"

This was met with instant uproar from Frodo, who also had money on it, Sam, who always supported Frodo, Aragorn, who believed (or wanted to believe) that he had won, Gimli, on the principle that no elf should have the power to referee, Legolas and Elrohir on the principle that _Elladan_ should never have the power to referee, and Gandalf because it was blatantly unfair and Gandalf always disagreed with blatant unfairness (except when it was in his favor).

"It was tie," Gandalf said.

This was, of course, met with uproar from the contestants and those who had money on it. Everyone else agreed.

"It's a shame we don't have a way to replay what happened so we can really see which sock came off first," Sam said regretfully.

"It was his," Aragorn and Merry said instantly, pointing at each other, to universal laughs.

"Tie, tie," Gimli called.

"No one wins the bet," Boromir said, satisfied that he had succeeded where the Ranger had failed.

"Told you so," Legolas said again.

Aragorn slowly got up, dusted off his trousers and went over to the bench to pick up his water canteen. He took a long, satisfying sip, and proceeded to dump the rest on Legolas' head, saving a bit for an additional splash on his foster brother.

Naturally, this sparked a water fight. Elladan responded by splashing on Aragorn and "accidentally" got some on Elrohir, who responded in similar fashion and got Merry wet, who got Frodo soaked and got some on Gandalf and soon everyone was involved. At first it was every man (or dwarf, hobbit, or elf) for himself, but when the limited canteen water was gone, they agreed to teams as they went to refill. Aragorn, Elrohir, Frodo, Sam, and Gandalf against Elladan, Merry, Pippin, Gimli, Boromir and Legolas.

Each team having one twin who knew where to find additional buckets as well as another person who knew the terrain, the groups spilt up to plan strategy and the rest of the day was spent in raids, battles, sieges, duels and other military tactics.

Elrond looked out of his window at the chaos below with satisfaction. "I'm glad they're working so well together," he remarked to Erestor, upending a large bucket water on his twins' heads.

_Once again, feel free to send in your favorite ice breakers and I may write a chapter! Reviews make me very, very happy. ___


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